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St. Augustine, Fla. -- Nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts and sportsmen will find much to appreciate on Florida’s Historic Coast. Whether it’s fishing on shore or off, bird-watching at key stops along the Great Florida Birding Trail, hiking through state parks and coastal areas, searching for wildlife, watching for sea life, biking, surfing, swimming or beachcomber adventures, there are plenty of eco-excursions to choose from in St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach.

Waterways
Along with the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal, the waters that surround Florida’s Historic Coast are part of the 60,000-acre Guana, Tolomato, Matanzas National Estuary Research Reserve—referred to by locals as the GTM. This convergence of waterways is an estuary stretching from Ponte Vedra Beach south to Marineland and contains extensive salt marshes, oyster beds and maritime hammocks.

Fishing
The gentle swish of the surf along 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beach accompanies anglers casting beyond the breakers where, depending on the season, whiting, redfish, pompano, bluefish and maybe even a tarpon are searching for food, including the bait on the end of your line.
No boat? No problem. Florida’s Historic Coast has fishing piers located on waterways ranging from secluded creeks to the deep blue sea. Extending 687 feet into the Atlantic, the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier is the area’s longest and is ideal for out-of-state fishermen because a Florida fishing license is included for the day with the $3 admission. Other popular piers are at Lighthouse Park, Vilano Beach, and along the St. Johns River at the Shands Bridge and Alpine Groves Park. Get close to the big ones at several bridges – try A1A’s Matanzas Inlet Bridge 12 miles south of St. Augustine and the May Street Bridge on the way to Vilano.

If you want to get offshore there are professional guides like Sea Love Charters, Drum Man Charters and P&A Excursions. They know all the hot spots and can get you there and back.

And anglers looking for some competition will find it at the Ancient City Kingfish Challenge, which offers cash and prizes for the biggest catch. This annual tournament takes place from the St. Augustine City Marina on the Bayfront in July.

Paddling
Guided kayak and SUP tours provide an opportunity to get an up-close look at dolphins and other marine wildlife. Salt marshes, accessible by boat, paddle board or kayak give way to foot trails that bisect the region’s beautiful maritime hammocks and the St. Johns River Basin. St. Augustine Eco Tours, Anastasia Water Sports, Ripple Effect EcoTours and Kayak St. Augustine all offer guided tours that lead visitors on safe adventures exploring our area’s pristine waterways.

Although bald eagles can sometimes be seen, the majestic osprey rules the skies. It’s not unusual to see them soaring above the beach with a fresh fish trapped in their talons. Other coastal birds are attracted to the area’s abundance of fish. Sleek and fast-flying cormorants dive beneath the water to snare a meal. Pink-hued roseate spoonbills (no they’re not flamingoes) wade in marshes or soar over maritime forests. Colorful wading birds like blue herons, along with pure white egrets and ibises, are longtime locals.

Wildlife
Giant sea turtles nest on St. Augustine’s beaches during the warm summer nights. In the winter months, the Northern Right Whale can be spotted from shore.

Until winter’s cooling water temperatures send them south, the iconic Florida manatee can be seen in the bays and in the Intracoastal Waterway. Beachgoers are sailors are frequently entertained by leaping dolphin.

The gopher tortoise can be found in dry, sandy uplands, such as longleaf pine, oak-sandhills, scrub, and coastal dunes. The gopher tortoise is a land tortoise that originated in North America 60 million years ago, making it one of the oldest living species.

The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park is the only place in the world where you can see every living species of crocodilian! They prefer fresh water lakes and slow-moving rivers and their associated wetlands, but they also can be found in brackish water habitats.

Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida's Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the outstanding golf and seaside elegance of Ponte Vedra and 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches. For more information on events, activities, holiday getaways, accommodations and to plan your vacation in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches, go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com, become a fan on Facebook or call 1.800.653.2489.